Stressful week, so kept workout brief.
Squat
95 x 8
115 x 4
145 x 8
last week of light weights, next period of medium, can’t wait
Leg X
150 x 12
170 x 10
170 x 10
gotta hand it to powerlifting, it makes you do everything in perfect form. This was like 3 4ths of the weight stack, yet swinging it up, squeeze at top, bring down, keep tension at bottom, then swing up.
Bench
45 x 10
65 x 8
95 x 3
105 x 8
105 x 8
105 x 9
Dips
x 8 x 8 x 8
form was really good here
Tri pressdown
2 plates x 10
4 x 8
4 x 8
Glad to see your still here again. Hmm makes me want to come back myself. As you can tell I’ve lost my login somehow. But somethings never change like my body is still breaking down here & there, the struggle continues.
But as my recently departed father in law says, ‘never give up’
Thanks, Minimal.
Okay, start the medium intense part of the program. Main lifts at 5 or so reps. Crunched the numbers and according to Groves I should be deadlifting 235 for 5. Sounds easy, I’ve done that much before.
Deads
135 x 8
175 x 4
195 x 3 everything seems pretty good
235 x 1
235 x 0 WTF???
205 x 5
205 x 5
Something went haywire here. May take a few weeks to build some strength. Ugh.
Hamstring machine
200 x 5
200 x 5
180 x 6 this one was very good form
Bar curl
60 x 7
60 x 7
could I have done 8?
Hyper Extension
35 lb plate x 5
35 x 6
35 x 7 pretty good
If I read the numbers right, I gained a teensy bit of strength since I started the program, but not close to what he says
That’s a lot of work right there.
A lot of work lifting the iron or a lot of work crunching the numbers?
I think you just had a bad deadlift day. It happens from time to time. Also, don’t put too much faith in projected/theoretical Rep Max stuff; it always sounds nice, but if you haven’t done it yet - expect to get your feelings hurt (I can max 495x5 on deads which is projected 556lb 1RM, but I’ve tried and failed 515 on more than one occasion lol).
Are you doing anything for a warm up? My sessions have gotten far more consistent when I consistently use a warmup routine (who would’ve thought). I like the DeFranco Agile 8 for everything but my push days.
The numbers he gives assumes a 200 lb single rep max and I was definitely doing more than his 8 rep, which is 125 lb, so trying to extrapolate from that. His figures would give me a 300 lb max, should have realized that was iffy. (Have pulled 275 in meet 10 yrs ago)
Yeah, I warm up well. Note that I got no injury from the workout.
Squat day. Was a bit more cautious with the numbers, this time it worked.
Squat
95 x 8
115 x 5
145 x 3
155 x 5
165 x 5
165 x 5
Depth could have been a teensy bit better, otherwise felt good.
Light bench
65 x 8
95 x 5
115 x 3
115 x 2
Abduct / addunct
went a bit crazy, went up in weight, then down, weird
Nautilus Leg X
120 x 8
190 x 6
190 x 7
damn, it’s easy
Bench day. According to Groves, if I was benching 105 for 8 reps (and I was, barely), then can do 125 for 5.
Bench
45 x 10
65 x 8
95 x 3
115 x 5 work set
115 x 5
These were real tough, no way could have done 125. So once again, somebody’s schedule just does not work. I have to keep re-adjusting what they over-promise.
Dips with 10 lb plate
10 x 5
10 x 5
10 x 5
slight pause at bottom, pleased
Tri pressdown
2 plates x 8
4 x 8
4 plus half plate x 4
4 1/2 x 4
4 1/2 x 4
whew, really had to concentrate
One size never fits all. Re-evaluate, adjust to fit your needs, press on. You’re doing good work.
Agreed, do what works for you. Everyone is different.
Appreciate the encouragement, but this is what I’ve got all through my lifting career (45 years now). Somebody saying “I’m the expert, listen to me, I have the answers, absolutely” and then I try it and it doesn’t work and then comes the excuses why “You have to find out what works for you, because how would I know?”
Getting over stress from last week
Deadlift, scoliosis stance
135 x 8
175 x 5
195 x 5
215 x 3 might have done another rep or two, but tough and didn’t want to push it
hamstring machine
200 x 5
200 x 5
180 x 5
160 x 8
Bar curl
50 x 12
60 x 4
60 x 5
60 x 4 experiment with inhaling, holding breath as goes up, exhaling coming down, kinda nice and powerlifting-ish
Hyper extension
35 x 8
35 x 8
deads didn’t leave back sore, but this did
Why I have never claimed to be an expert. The majority of the stuff I read on hear I have no idea what people are talking about.
Squat day, scoliosis stance
95 x 8
115 x 5
135 x 5
165 x 5
165 x 5 tough, but doable
Light bench
65 x 8
95 x 6
115 x 2
115 x 2
Abduct and adduct machines
80 x 10
90 x 9
Leg Ext
150 x 8
180 x 7
180 x 7
Walked into gym refreshed, rested, feeling good
Bench
65 x 10
95 x 5
115 x 5
115 x 4 failure
105 x 5 near failure
105 x 5 failure
105 x 4
This program has completely collapsed. It’s promising I can do 125 for 5 (“increase weight to 130 if you can”) and my body isn’t doing it.
Dips with 10 lb plate
x 5 x 6 x 6 x 5
Tri pressdown
2 plates x 10
3 x 8
4 x 5
4 x 5
3 x 8
3 x 8
I took half of this to near failure, the rest to failure. Result: no strength gain, but starting to lose.
It looks like you were really pushing yourself on the bench.
No program can promise anything… enjoy your own process… there are a bunch of people here who applaud your effort…
and hell yeah, 3 sets to failure …internet High 5
Absolutely was. Like I push myself on near everything. Like I’ve been pushing for the past 40 yrs. Thanks for noticing.